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An Explanation For My Absence

So I’d just like to apologise for not being online much over the past few days, and for not finishing NaPoWriMo (that really sucks). But I’ve had a lot of “family issues” at the minute that have just made me want to wear pyjamas, eat comfort food, watch telly, and just generally be an unproductive human.

I’ll start with the shorter and simpler story first, shall I? My maternal grandfather who has had 2 strokes and has a form of dementia is currently in the process of being moved into a care home after his latest series of dramatic falls.

This means my mum is away a lot (her family all live about 3hrs north) cleaning up his house – he is a compulsive hoarder – and getting it ready to be sold. It’s tough on her being back in that house because of the kind of father he was.

Also, it’s revealed some things to us about him. Mainly, that he’s been able to write perfectly well for the last decade or so (since his last stroke he’s been telling us all that he couldn’t). I never got on with him all that well, but that just disgusts me.

As for the long-and-complicated story I need to introduce you to my paternal grandparents, who live in Israel. My savta (grandmother) has had a Parkinson’s diagnosis for about 13 years now; and my sabba (grandfather) is in good health, though he’s almost 80 and has been very run down these past few years taking care of savta.

They’ve always been well off, and my adoptive uncle Avnir (who I’ve never met) has been pestering them for years for money so he can buy himself a mansion (I know, I wish it was a joke!) My grandparents have been talking about whether or not to give him the money, but out of the blue in January this year my savta gave him the equivalent of half a million pounds.

After an argument between my grandparents, she then gave Avnir another half million. That’s all of their savings gone. They began divorce proceedings and she had to move to a care home as sabba just felt he couldn’t care for her any more.

My dad travelled out there earlier this week to help arbitrate their talks. But it turns out savta also gave Avnir their flat. Being the scum he his, Avnir refuses to give anything back. So by next week my sabba may be homeless. On top of it all, despite savta acting very out of character, and saying she doesn’t remember giving Avnir any of it she has been declared to be in full mental health – so the courts will be unlikely to be able to get any of it back.

And on top of all that exams start in two weeks. Thrills. (Thanks for reading) x